The non-renewability, ecological issues and health risks related to the fossil fuels has led to exploration of alternative sources of energy to substitute the conventional ones. A promising innovation, still in its infancy, that could show us the way to the future ahead is Biodiesels. Biodiesels are diesel fuels stemmed from veggie oil or animal-fat that might be utilized to run diesel motors. Vegetables oils like sunflower, rape seed, palm oil, soya bean, Jatropha and so on can be subjected to oil processing to produce biodiesels. It consists of no petroleum however can be mixed with petroleum diesel for usage or could be used in its pure type.

Developed nations particularly United States and European Countries have actually already made substantial advances in the Biodiesel Technology. Biodiesel have actually found its usage throughout markets and verticals and could become an ideal cleaner and cheaper alternative to petrol, diesel and fossil fuels. India has actually also begun exploring the opportunities to produce and use bio-diesel. A variety of plants for biodiesel transesterification are already in the country where veggie oils are reacted with alcohols (ethanol or methanol typically) to produce bio-diesel.

The main reason for the increasing demand for biodiesels is the fact that biodiesels are eco-friendly and carbon-neutral, thus having no net effect on the climate. Besides, bio-diesel operates in compression engines similar to regular petroleum diesel and hence can be utilized with little or no engine modifications. Biodiesel do not need any different facilities for its storage and can be stored much like the petroleum based fuels.

Considering the growing energy need in the nation, increasing petroleum rates and the environmental dangers of fossil fuels, the Indian Government has taken up initiatives to establish the Bio Diesel Technology in India and set up more oil processing systems. The Government announced its 'National Biofuel Policy' on 12 September 2008 which intends to satisfy 20% of India's diesel demand with bio-fuels in the coming years.

Globally, edible vegetable oils like sunflower, soya bean, rape seed, palm oil are used as the pre-dominant basic materials for oil processing and biodiesel production but in India the optimal capacity to produce biodiesels is from jatropha curcas oil - a non-edible one produced from the seeds of the Jatropha curcas. The most significant advantage of utilizing jatropha curcas as a basic material is that this plant can be grown in huge quantities in wastelands all throughout India requiring really little water in contrast to other money crops. Once grown, the plant has a beneficial lifespan of several decades. The jatropha curcas seeds include 40% oil and are considered to be an exceptional source of bio-diesel. The Government of India has actually determined 400,000 square kilometres of land ideal for the jatropha curcas growing in the nation. India now

A study approximates that even if a mixing initiative of 2% jatropha curcas based Biodiesel is accomplished in 2011-12, India will save around Rs. 3000 crores. Besides, it will create around Rs. 5500 crores in the rural economy and help in decrease of Green House Gas emission by 3 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) every year. The government is taking steps to encourage the growing of Jatropha in India offering complimentary seeds, subsidized loans and other facilities. India requires to now strengthen its efforts to make the maximum usage of the Biodiesel Technology. Besides Jatropha, the avenues for extracting biodiesel from vegetable oils, fats, sunflower, rape seed oil and palm oil must likewise be checked out. It will not only supply a response to the difficulty of Global Warming however might reduce our reliance on foreign oil and contribute to our own economy.